Ryan Posselt and Ben Lohberger say Hobart should get red light cameras

Two Hobart councillors say some Hobart intersections are becoming more dangerous, as impatient drivers race through orange and red lights. Should Hobart get red light cameras? POLL INSIDE >>

A combined speed and red light camera, operated by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. Picture: Brendan Radke

Impatient drivers, racing through red lights, are putting Hobart pedestrians at risk, two Hobart City councillors say, and they’ve suggested red light cameras might be the way to deter bad behaviour.

Ryan Posselt and Ben Lohberger will move a motion at Monday’s Hobart City Council meeting, for the council to write to Transport Minister Eric Abetz to consider installing new cameras.

There are currently no red light cameras in use in Tasmania.

They say the intersections of Macquarie and Elizabeth streets, Macquarie and Murray streets, Davey and Campbell streets, Davey and Elizabeth streets, Davey and Murray streets and Risdon and New Town Roads, are where the behaviour is most frequent.

“It’s frequent that the green walking man goes and I have to stop because I can see someone coming through on the red,” Mr Posselt said.

HCC approved new bike lanes in Hobart, Councillor Ryan Posselt at Campbell Street. Picture: Chris Kidd

“In particular on Macquarie St, drivers press through the red light, remarkably even when it means they’ll be stopped at the next intersection anyway.

“We see logging trucks and buses in particular running reds, the vehicles you really don’t want to hit you. Any vehicle running a red light is dangerous.

“Every pedestrian deserves to move through our city safely.”

Mr Posselt said the red light cameras could be combined with speed cameras.

“That way you can’t accelerate into the orange,” he said.

City of Hobart Councillors, Ben Lohberger. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Lohberger said there didn’t seem to be much enforcement when drivers ran red lights.

“Just in the last two years I’ve noticed a massive increase in people entering the intersection not just when it’s orange but when it’s red,” Mr Lohberger said.

“Sometimes it’s more than one car, there’ll be two or three doing it.

“I’ve particularly noticed it at the Pizza Hut corner (intersection at Risdon and New Town Roads).”

He said there were a lot of schoolchildren who used that particular intersection.

“There’s a lot of school kids using that intersection,” he said.

“Children are at risk, that’s one of the main problems, there are 5 or 6 schools in the area.

“You teach children to cross at the green light, you need drivers to not speed through

“I also have a low vision friend, he’s frustrated at not being able to trust the audible sound, the ticking.”

Traffic signs in QLD warning of an upcoming combined speed and red light camera. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Posselt wrote to Mr Abetz earlier this year with the suggestion of red light cameras on Macquarie Street.

But the minister made no commitment to the technology.

“The Department of State Growth has advised that failure to obey traffic signals including running a red light is not a primary contributor to fatal and serious injuries in Tasmania,” Mr Abetz said in June.

“When a high risk crash location is identified, initiatives to make that location safer, including red light enforcement cameras, are considered, and implemented where necessary.”